Motorsport of any type, or at any level, is dangerous by its very nature. However the nature of the media often means that only deaths in high-profile series, with mainstream TV coverage, are reported in the press. For example, the deaths of Dan Wheldon[1] and Marco Simoncelli[2] within a week of each other in 2011, received significant press attention while other recent deaths did not. This can give a misleading impression to the general public as to the number of deaths that occur in the sport as a whole. The list below shows drivers that have died racing in British national or club car racing series since 1970. The list only includes drivers to have died during a race and only those competing in British domestic series. The deaths are spread across the major existing circuits in the country, with only Knockhill and Rockingham Motor Speedway (opened 2001) not having any recorded driver deaths.
Year | Driver | Series | Circuit | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|
1933 | ![]() |
Derby and District Motor Club | Donington Park | [3] |
1937 | ![]() |
BRSCC Meeting | [3] | |
1937 | ![]() |
12 Hours of Donington | Donington Park | [3] |
1939 | ![]() |
VSCC Meeting | Donington Park | [3] |
1951 | ![]() |
Non-Championship F3 Race | Castle Combe | [3] |
1951 | ![]() |
Mechanics Race | Brands Hatch | [3] |
1953 | ![]() |
Unknown | Snetterton | [3] |
1954 | ![]() |
Unknown | Snetterton | [3] |
1954 | ![]() |
750MC 6 Hour Relay Race | Silverstone | [3] |
1955 | ![]() |
Unknown | Brands Hatch | [3] |
1955 | ![]() |
Bentley Drivers Club Meeting | Oulton Park | [3] |
1956 | ![]() |
British Sportscar Championship | Oulton Park | [3] |
1956 | ![]() |
Unknown | Brands Hatch | [3] |
1957 | ![]() |
Sporting Record Trophy | Brands Hatch | [3] |
1957 | ![]() |
Daily Express Trophy Race | Silverstone | [3] |
1958 | ![]() |
Cheshire/Lancashire Motor Club Meeting | Oulton Park | [3] |
1958 | ![]() |
Club F3 Race | Brands Hatch | [3] |
1958 | ![]() |
Club F3 Race | Brands Hatch | [3] |
1959 | ![]() |
BARC F3 Race | Mallory Park | [3] |
1960 | ![]() |
Unknown | Brands Hatch | [3] |
1961 | ![]() |
BARC Clubmans Championship | Oulton Park | [3] |
1962 | ![]() |
Unknown | Brands Hatch | [3] |
1962 | ![]() |
Cheshire Motor Club Meeting | Oulton Park | [3] |
1963 | ![]() |
Molyship Saloon Championships | Brands Hatch | [3] |
1963 | ![]() |
Unknown | Brands Hatch | [3] |
1963 | ![]() |
Sports and GT Martini Trophy | Silverstone | [3] |
1963 | ![]() |
Formula Junior | Silverstone | [3] |
1964 | ![]() |
Unknown | Silverstone | [3] |
1964 | ![]() |
BARC F3/Formula Libre Race | Oulton Park | [3] |
1964 | ![]() |
Monoposto Race | Castle Combe | [3] |
1964 | ![]() |
Mid-Cheshire Motor Club | Oulton Park | [3] |
1966 | ![]() |
500 Miles of Brands Race | Brands Hatch | [3] |
1966 | ![]() |
Formula 3 Trophy Race | Brands Hatch | [3] |
1966 | ![]() |
Unknown | Brands Hatch | [3] |
1968 | ![]() |
Formula Ford Trophy Race | Silverstone | [3] |
1968 | ![]() |
BARC Meeting | Silverstone | [3] |
1968 | ![]() |
Unknown | Oulton Park | [3] |
1968 | ![]() |
Unknown | Brands Hatch | [3] |
1968 | ![]() |
Production Sportscar Championship | Brands Hatch | [3] |
1968 | ![]() |
Cheshire/Lancashire Motor Club Meeting | Oulton Park | [3] |
1968 | ![]() |
Unknown | Croft Circuit | [3] |
1968 | ![]() |
Northern Goldsmith Trophy | Croft Circuit | [3] |
1969 | ![]() |
VSCC Meeting | Oulton Park | [3] |
1969 | ![]() |
British Sportscar Championship | Oulton Park | [3] |
1970 | ![]() |
Junior Formula Ford | Mallory Park | [3] |
1970 | ![]() |
Clubman Series | Silverstone | [3] |
1970 | ![]() |
Formula 5000 | Snetterton | [3] |
1970 | ![]() |
Clubman Series | Brands Hatch | [3] |
1971 | ![]() |
British Formula Ford | Mallory Park | [3] |
1971 | ![]() |
Formula 5000 Championship | Oulton Park | [3] |
1971 | ![]() |
Jaguar Club Series | Thruxton | [3] |
1972 | ![]() |
Unknown Single Seater Series | Snetterton | [3] |
1973 | ![]() |
BARC Modified Sportscars | Thruxton | [3] |
1974 | ![]() |
Formula Ford | Snetterton | [3] |
1974 | ![]() |
Unknown Sportscar Series | Snetterton | [3] |
1976 | ![]() |
Formula 5000 Championship | Thruxton | [3] |
1976 | ![]() |
Formula Ford | Snetterton | [3] |
1976 | ![]() |
Formula Ford | Brands Hatch | [3] |
1978 | ![]() |
250cc International Kart GP | Silverstone | [3] |
1980 | ![]() |
Sportscar Championship | Brands Hatch | [3] |
1980 | ![]() |
Club Mini Championship | Castle Combe | [3] |
1982 | ![]() |
BARC MG Midget Championship | Thruxton | [3] |
1983 | ![]() |
JDC Historic Championship | Silverstone | [3] |
1984 | ![]() |
Superkart | Mallory Park | [3] |
1985 | ![]() |
Historic Race (F1 Meeting) | Brands Hatch | [3] |
1987 | ![]() |
British Formula Ford | Donington Park | [3] |
1987 | ![]() |
Snetterton Formula Ford Championship | Snetterton | [3] |
1991 | ![]() |
British Formula 3000 Championship | Oulton Park | [3] |
1992 | ![]() |
Oulton Formula Ford Series | Oulton Park | [3] |
1992 | ![]() |
British Formula Ford | Castle Combe | [3] |
1992 | ![]() |
British Formula 3 Championship | Thruxton | [3] |
1993 | ![]() |
Superkart + | Brands Hatch | [3] |
1993 | ![]() |
Superkart + | Brands Hatch | [3] |
1997 | ![]() |
JCC Jaguar Challenge | Oulton Park | [3] |
1999 | ![]() |
British Formula Ford Championship | Oulton Park | [3] |
2000 | ![]() |
Clubman Series | Oulton Park | [3] |
2001 | ![]() |
750mc Caterham 7 Championship | Mallory Park | [3] |
2001 | ![]() |
BARC Mini Miglia Championship | Silverstone | [3] |
2002 | ![]() |
BRSCC Alfa Romeo Championship | Mallory Park | [3] |
2002 | ![]() |
BARC BMW Challenge | Thruxton | [3] |
2002 | ![]() |
Sports and GT + | Cadwell Park | [3] |
2002 | ![]() |
Sports and GT + | Cadwell Park | [3] |
2003 | ![]() |
BRDC Historic Sportscar (F1 Meeting) | Silverstone | [3] |
2004 | ![]() |
John Cooper Challenge | Silverstone | [3] |
2004 | ![]() |
Renault Clio Cup | Thruxton | [3] |
2004 | ![]() |
Lagonda Rapier Vintage Championship | Cadwell Park | [3] |
2005 | ![]() |
British Superkart Championship | Brands Hatch | [3] |
2006 | ![]() |
British Superkart Championship | Silverstone | [3] |
2008 | ![]() |
Historic Sports | Cadwell Park | [3] |
2010 | ![]() |
MSVR GT Cup Championship | Thruxton | [3] |
2013 | ![]() |
Historic Touring Cars | Donington Park | [3] |
2013 | ![]() |
VSCC Meeting | Snetterton | |
2014 | ![]() |
VSCC Spring Start | Silverstone | |
2014 | ![]() |
Pre-1966 Grand Prix | Silverstone | [4] |
2021 | ![]() |
C1 Racing Series | Snetterton | [5] |
+ = Multiple drivers to have died in the same incident (see previous/following entry)
References
- ↑ "Obituary: Dan Wheldon". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
- ↑ "Marco Simoncelli obituary". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 "Motorcycle deaths". MotorSportMemorial.org. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
- ↑ mso.net. "MSA statement regarding fatality at Silverstone - News -". msauk.org. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
- ↑ "A woman has died after a crash during a race at Snetterton circuit in Norfolk". ITV. 6 July 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.